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'Holy monkeys' not meant to rile Orthodox church, says Latvian artist
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/01/lativa-russia-sergey-dyomin-art-monkeys-orthodox-church
Sergey Dyomin’s dystopian paintings have played around with images of everything from pigs to sewing machines and railway cars, but it’s his treatment of monkeys that got him noticed.
...
The “holy monkeys” have raised his profile in the art world. Most of his paintings now sell for upwards of $10,000 (£6,500) apiece. “The logic is hard to explain, but somehow the monkeys really scored,” says Dyomin, 41.
But his casual merging of primates with Orthodox iconography is almost certain to ruffle feathers among the Russian Orthodox faithful. Something the artist insists is not his intention.
...
“I’m an atheist, but I’m not opposed to people being religious,” the artist says. “If their convictions are really deep, then they should be impervious to offence.”
...
The “holy monkeys” have raised his profile in the art world. Most of his paintings now sell for upwards of $10,000 (£6,500) apiece. “The logic is hard to explain, but somehow the monkeys really scored,” says Dyomin, 41.
But his casual merging of primates with Orthodox iconography is almost certain to ruffle feathers among the Russian Orthodox faithful. Something the artist insists is not his intention.
...
“I’m an atheist, but I’m not opposed to people being religious,” the artist says. “If their convictions are really deep, then they should be impervious to offence.”